What are one word syllables

Syllable definition: A syllable is a unit of sound that creates meaning in language. Consonants join vowels to create syllables.

A syllable is one unit of sound in English. Syllables join consonants and vowels to form words.

Syllables can have more than one letter; however, a syllable cannot have more than one sound.

Syllables can have more than one consonant and more than one vowel, as well. However, the consonant(s) and vowel(s) that create the syllable cannot make more than one sound.

A syllable is only one sound.

Examples of Syllables in English

Syllables definition Syllables are formed when a vowel pairs with a consonant to create a unit of sound.

Some words have one syllable (monosyllabic), and some words have many syllables (polysyllabic).

New vowels sounds create new syllables.

  • long
    • This word has one syllable. There is only one vowel sound, created by the “o.”
  • shame
    • This word has one syllable. Even though there are two vowels, only one vowel makes a sound. The long “a” sound is the vowel sound; the “e” is a silent “e.”
  • silent
    • This word has two vowels sounds; therefore it has two syllables. The first syllable is “si” with the long “i” sound. The second syllable includes the letters “lent.”

Open Syllable vs. Closed Syllable

There are two ways that syllables formed in English words: open and closed syllables. Here is a brief discussion of both of those topics.

Open Syllable

What is syllableWhat is an open syllable? An open syllable is a syllable that has only one vowel and only one vowel sound. The single vowel in the open syllable occurs at the end of the word.

Examples of Open Syllables:

  • wry
  • try
  • no
  • go
  • a
  • chew
  • brew

Closed Syllable

What is syllablesWhat is a closed syllable? A closed syllable is a syllable that has only one vowel and only one vowel sound. A closed syllable ends in a consonant.

Examples of Closed Syllables:

  • clock
  • truck
  • ask
  • bin
  • trim
  • gym
  • neck
  • if

How Many Syllables Are in a Word?

A syllable starts with a vowel sound. That vowel most often joins with a consonant, or consonants, to create a syllable. Syllables will sometimes consist of more than one vowel but never more than one vowel sound.

Syllables create meaning in language. When vowels and consonants join to create sound, words are formed.

A single syllable makes a single sound. Some words have one unit of sound, which means they have one syllable. More than one sound means the word has more than one syllable.

Monosyllabic Words

Syllables examples Words with one syllable (monosyllabic)

Single vowel sound

  • man
    • This word has two consonants and one vowel
    • The one vowel sound (the short “a”) joins with the two consonants to create one syllable
  • cry
    • This word has two consonants and one vowel
    • The one vowel (the long “i” sound formed by the “y”) joins with the two consonants to create one syllable

Double vowels with single sound

  • brain
    • This word has three consonants and two vowels
    • The two vowels create one vowel sound (a long “a” sound)
    • The single vowel sound joins with the three consonants to make one syllable
  • tree
    • This word has two consonants and two vowels
    • The two vowels create one vowel sound (a long “e” sound)
    • The single vowel sound joins with the two consonants to make one syllable

Words ending with a silent “e”

  • lane
    • This word has two consonants and two vowels
    • The “e” and the end of the word is silent to represent a long “a” sound
    • The single vowel sound in this word is a long “a” sound
    • The single vowel sound joins with the two consonants to make one syllable
  • tile
    • This word has two consonants and two vowels
    • The “e” and the end of the word is silent to represent a long “i” sound
    • The single vowel sound in this word is a long “i” sound
    • The single vowel sound joins with the two consonants to make one syllable

Polysyllabic Words

Syllable meaning Words with more than one syllable (polysyllabic)

  • baker
    • two syllables
    • This word has three consonants and two vowels
    • “bak”: two consonants “m” “k” plus one vowel “a”
    • “er”: one vowel “e” plus one consonant “r”
  • growing
    • two syllables
    • This word has five consonants and two vowels
    • “grow”: three consonants “g”, “r”, and “w” plus one vowel “o”
    • “ing”: one vowel “i” plus two consonants “ng”
  • terrible
    • three syllables
    • This word has five consonants and three vowels
    • “ter”: two consonants “t” and “r” plus one vowel “e”
    • “ri”: one consonant “i” plus one vowel “i”
    • “ble” : two consonants “b” and “l” plus one vowel “e”

Note: The last “e” in “terrible” is not silent. The “e” and the end creates more of a “bull” sound when joined with the “b” and “l” than an “e” sound would normally make.

Summary: What are Syllables?

Define syllables: the definition of syllables is a phonological unit consisting of one or more sounds, including a vowel sound.

To sum up, a syllable:

  • is a unit of sound in language
  • joins vowels with consonants to create meaning
  • will always contain only one vowel sound

Contents

  • 1 What is a Syllable?
  • 2 Examples of Syllables in English
  • 3 Open Syllable vs. Closed Syllable
  • 4 Open Syllable
  • 5 Closed Syllable
  • 6 How Many Syllables Are in a Word?
  • 7 Monosyllabic Words
  • 8 Polysyllabic Words
  • 9 Summary: What are Syllables?

What are one syllable words examples?

Examples of Syllables: One-syllable words known as monosyllabic: Cat, dog, car, sky. Two-syllable words known as disyllabic: Ho-tel, Po-em, Chor-us.

What are some 4 syllable words?

4 syllable Words.

ability accommodate accompany
anticipate anxiety application
appreciate architecture associate
authority autonomy calculation
capacity capitalism casualty

What is a 10 syllable word?

Decasyllable (Italian: decasillabo, French: décasyllabe, Serbian: десетерац, deseterac) is a poetic meter of ten syllables used in poetic traditions of syllabic verse. In languages with a stress accent (accentual verse), it is the equivalent of pentameter with iambs or trochees (particularly iambic pentameter).

What is the first syllable?

The first syllable of a word is the initial syllable and the last syllable is the final syllable.

Is beauty a 2 syllable word?

Wondering why beauty is 2 syllables? Contact Us!

How many syllables are in intelligent?

4 syllables

How many syllables is smart?

1 syllable

How many syllables has creative?

3 syllables

How many syllables are in sorry?

2 syllables

Is smart one syllable a word?

Nevertheless, Tom still thinks he’s smarter.” “Smart” has one syllable, so it gets an “-er” or “-est.” “Intelligent” has four syllables, so it is modified with either “more/most” or “less/least.”

What’s another word for smart?

What is another word for smart?

bright intelligent
astute clever
sharp wise
brainy brilliant
precocious savvy

How many syllables are there Carlos very smart?

Wondering why Carlos is 2 syllables?

How many syllables does small have?

How many syllables are in there?

How many syllables are in green?

How many syllables does house have?

Does home have 2 syllables?

Wondering why home is 1 syllable?

Are house two syllables?

Wondering why houses is 2 syllables? Contact Us! We’ll explain.

How many syllables is in fish?

How many syllables is dog?

How many syllables are in Snowflake?

How many syllables are in broccoli?

Last Update: Jan 03, 2023

This is a question our experts keep getting from time to time. Now, we have got the complete detailed explanation and answer for everyone, who is interested!


Asked by: Dr. Willow Moen MD

Score: 4.7/5
(29 votes)

When two words are divided into its component sounds, called syllables, this process is called Syllabication. Syllabication is used and is necessary in pronunciation of words.

Which is correct syllabification or syllabification?

Although these are synonyms (= the act or process of forming syllables, or of dividing words into syllables), prefer “syllabification,” since it corresponds to the more common verb “syllabify” (as opposed to *»syllabicate»).

What is correct Syllabication?

Syllabication is the process of dividing a word into its component sounds, called syllables. Syllabication is necessary in pronouncing words correctly, and many children need a great deal of help in learning syllabication.

What is the difference between Syllabication and syllabification?

As nouns the difference between syllabification and syllabication. is that syllabification is the division of a word into syllables while syllabication is the act of syllabifying; syllabification.

What is Syllabication example?

When two consonants come between two vowels in a word, the syllables should divide between the consonants. Good examples of this rule include un/der, san/dy, or pig/let. … If a word contains a double consonant, the syllables should be divided between the two consonants. Examples include hap/py, lit/tle, and diz/zy.

33 related questions found

What is Syllabication in phonics?

Syllabication refers to dividing written words into syllables. Syllabication is useful to know: when you are writing and a word is too long to fit on a line, you must divide the word correctly. Words should always be divided between syllables. Knowledge of syllabication is also helpful in pronouncing words.

What is English syllabification?

The word syllabification essentially means «the act of separating into syllables,» and syllable goes back to the Greek syllabē, «that which is held together» or «several sounds taken together.» Syllables are sounds held together by vowels, and the process of syllabification involves identifying those separate syllables …

What is Syllabication linguistics?

Syllabification is the process of dividing a word into its constituent syllables. … Most linguists view syllables as an important unit of prosody because many phonological rules and con- straints apply within syllables or at syllable bound- aries (Blevins, 1995).

What is Tetra syllable?

tetrasyllable. / (ˌtɛtrəˈsɪləbəl) / noun. a word of four syllables.

Is Noctiphany a word?

Noctiphany is the manifestation of something that happens only at night. Noctiphany is an incredibly rare word that derives from the Latin nocti (night) and the Greek -phany (appearance or manifestation).

What did bully originally mean?

The earliest meaning of English bully was “sweetheart.” The word was probably borrowed from Dutch boel, “lover.” Later bully was used for anyone who seemed a good fellow, then for a blustering daredevil.

How do you Syllabify words?

Expert Answer:

  1. Divide syllables between the consonants when two consonants come between two vowels in a word. …
  2. Divide the syllables keeping the blends together when there are more than two consonants together in a word. …
  3. Divide the syllables after the first vowel, when there is one consonant between two vowels in a word.

What is monosyllabic example?

«Yes», «no», «jump», «buy», and «heat» are monosyllables. The longest monosyllabic words in the English language, all containing nine letters each, are «screeched,» «schlepped,» «scratched,» «scrounged,» «scrunched,» «stretched,» «straights,» and «strengths.»

What are some three syllable words?

3-syllable words

  • fantastic.
  • athletic.
  • establish.
  • penmanship.
  • investment.
  • consistent.
  • misconduct.
  • basketball.

What are the 7 syllables?

Defines the seven syllable types: closed, open, r control, final magic e, [ -cle ], diphthong, and vowel team.

Why do we Syllabicate words?

Since vowels can make different sounds, identifying the syllable usually identifies the right vowel sound. Syllabication teaches students to read unknown words, increases their sight-word vocabulary, and aids in learning how to spell words (Torgesen, 2004; Moats, 2001; Curtis & Longo, 1999).

What are some 5 syllable words?

words 5 syllable

  • amanuensis.
  • belletristical.
  • penetralia.
  • superangelic.
  • supercelestial.
  • subterranean.
  • tonsillectomy.
  • appendectomy.

What is Greek Syllabification?

Syllabification in Greek. In Greek spelling is not done letter by letter (unlike in English) but syllable by syllable. If you want to pronounce a Greek word you have to break it down into its syllables. This is called «syllabification». Example: πα–τέ-ρας (the father)

Is school a one syllable word?

School Has One Syllable — People In Education.

How do you Syllabify a college?

“College” is a 2:1—two syllables, stress on the first syllable.

How do I teach my child multisyllabic words?

When teaching your students to spell longer words effectively, here are some tips:

  1. Repeat the word and give it in a sentence.
  2. Make a line for each spoken syllable.
  3. Pronounce each syllable one by one.
  4. Segment the sounds in each syllable and write each one.
  5. Check for sounds and rules.
  6. Reread.

How do you teach Syllabication?

Tips for Teaching Syllable Division Rules to Students

  1. Look at the word. Circle the vowel sounds with red.
  2. Underline the consonants BETWEEN the vowels (don’t worry about the other consonants).
  3. Determine which syllable division rule (VC/CV, V/CV, VC/V, or V/V) applies. …
  4. Cut or mark the word accordingly.
  5. Read the word.

Why should Syllabication be taught?

Why teach about syllables? Dividing words into parts, or «chunks» helps speed the process of decoding. Knowing the rules for syllable division can students read words more accurately and fluently. Understanding syllables can also help students learn to spell words correctly.

This article is all about Syllable and its various types. Through this article we will learn what is syllable and how many syllables are there in English Grammar. We will also get to know about different kinds of syllabic words.

If you have come to know about Vowel Sound, now this is the time we will move forward to Syllable and Syllabic Words. We should know that Syllable plays a very significant role in English language as it determines the rhythm of language, specifically in the field of spoken English.

A Syllable is a part of a word that can be pronounced in a single breath or at a time. A Syllable must have at least one vowel or vowel sound.

Example: – For example we can take the word ‘Mother’ (Mother= Mo+ther). When we attempt to pronounce the word ‘Mother’, first we pronounce ‘Mo’ in a single breath and then ‘ther’. So, in this word there are two syllables.

Kinds of Syllable

Monosyllable

  • In Greek, ‘Mono’ means ‘one or single’.
  • So, when the number of syllable is one, it is called Monosyllable.

Disyllable

  • In Greek, ‘Di’ means ‘two or double’.
  • So, when the number of syllable is two, it is called Disyllable.

Trisyllable

  • Tri’ means ‘three’.
  • So, when the number of syllable is three, it is called Trisyllable.

Tetrasyllable

  • Tetra’ means ‘four’.
  • So, when the number of syllable is four, it is called Tetrasyllable.

Pentasyllable

  • Penta’ means ‘five’.
  • So, when the number of syllable is five, it is called Pentasyllable.

Polysyllable

  • When the syllable number is more than five, it is called Polysyllable.

Note:- Logically, more than one is known as Poly i.e. many in numbers. Since, we have come to know about Monosyllable, Disyllable, Trisyllable, Tetrasyllable and Pentasyllable where the number of syllable is One, Two, Three, Four and Five respectively, we shall call it Polysyllable when the syllable number is more than five.

Different Kinds of Syllable in English Grammar
Kinds of Syllable

Different Kinds of Syllabic Words

Monosyllabic Word

A word with single syllable or one syllable is called a Monosyllabic Word.

Or, where there is only one syllable in a word, the word is called a Monosyllabic word.

Example: – For example we can say ‘Man’, ‘Bat’, ‘Ball’ etc.

Here in these words the number of syllable is one and when we attempt to pronounce the above words we can see that we can pronounce them each in a single breath.

Monosyllabic Word Examples
(Monosyllabic Word Examples)

Disyllabic Word

A word with two syllables is called a Disyllabic Word.

Or, where there are two syllables in a word, the word is called a Disyllabic word.

Example: – For example we can say ‘Father’, ‘Mother’, ‘Brother’ etc.

  • Here in these words the number of syllable is two and when we attempt to pronounce the above words, we fail to pronounce them each in a single breath. We need a break.
  • If we take the very first word (i.e. ‘Father) for explanation, we can see that when we attempt to pronounce the word ‘Father’, at first we pronounce ‘Fa’ and then ‘ther’. The similar thing happens in case of the other two words.
Disyllabic Word Examples
(Disyllabic Word Examples)

Trisyllabic Word

A word with three syllables is called a Trisyllabic Word.

Or, where there are three syllables in a word, the word is called a Trisyllabic word.

Example: – For example we can say ‘Condition’, ‘Position’, ‘Remember’ etc.

  • Here in these words the number of syllable is three and when we attempt to pronounce the above words, we fail to pronounce them each in a single breath. We need two breaks.
  • If we take the very first word (i.e. ‘Condition’) for explanation, we can see that when we attempt to pronounce the word ‘Condition’, first we pronounce ‘Con’ and then ‘di’ and finally ‘tion’.
Trisyllabic Word Examples
(Trisyllabic Word Examples) 

Tetrasyllabic Word

A word with four syllables is called a Tetrasyllabic Word.

Or, where there are four syllables in a word, the word is called a Tetrasyllabic word.

Example: – For example we can say ‘Unfortunate’, ‘Photography’ etc.

  • Here in these words the number of syllable is four and when we attempt to pronounce the above words, we fail to pronounce them each in a single breath. We need to stop three times.
  • If we take the very first word (i.e. ‘Unfortunate’) for explanation, we can see that when we attempt to pronounce the word ‘Unfortunate’, at first we pronounce ‘Un’ and then ‘for’ and then ‘tu’ and finally ‘nate’.
Tetra Syllabic Word Examples
(Tetra-syllabic Word Examples)

Pentasyllabic Word

A word with five syllables is called a Pentasyllabic Word.

Or, where there are five syllables in a word, the word is called a Pentasyllabic word.

Example: – For example we can say ‘University’, ‘Individual’ etc.

  • Here in these words the number of syllable is five and when we attempt to pronounce the above words, we fail to pronounce them each in a single breath. We stop four times.
  • If we take the very first word (i.e. ‘University’) for explanation, we can see that when we attempt to pronounce the word ‘University’, first we pronounce ‘U’ and then ‘ni’ and then ‘ver’ and then ‘si’ and finally ‘ty’.
Pentasyllabic Word Examples
(Pentasyllabic Word Examples)

Polysyllabic Word

A word with many syllables is called a Polysyllabic Word.

Or, where there are more than five syllables in a word, the word is called a Polysyllabic word.

Example: – For example we can say ‘Identification’, ‘Capitalization’ etc.

  • Here in these words the number of syllable is many (more than five) and when we attempt to pronounce the above words, we fail to pronounce them each in a single breath. We stop five times or more than five times.
  • If we take the very first word (i.e. ‘Identification’) for explanation, we can see that when we attempt to pronounce the word ‘Identification’, first we pronounce ‘I’ and then ‘den’ and then ‘ti’ and then ‘fi’ and then ‘ca’ and finally ‘tion’.
Polysyllabic Word Examples
(Polysyllabic Word Examples)

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Asked by: Dr. Elouise Yost I

Score: 4.4/5
(13 votes)

A syllable is a single, unbroken vowel sound within a spoken word. They typically contain a vowel or two if one is silent, and perhaps one or more accompanying consonants. So syllables are always A, E, I, O, U or sometimes Y when it makes a vowel sound. All words are made from at least one syllable.

How do you teach syllables?

Tips for Teaching Syllable Division Rules to Students

  1. Look at the word. Circle the vowel sounds with red.
  2. Underline the consonants BETWEEN the vowels (don’t worry about the other consonants).
  3. Determine which syllable division rule (VC/CV, V/CV, VC/V, or V/V) applies. …
  4. Cut or mark the word accordingly.
  5. Read the word.

What are syllables examples?

A syllable is a part of a word that contains a single vowel sound and that is pronounced as a unit. So, for example, ‘ book’ has one syllable, and ‘ reading’ has two syllables. We children called her Oma, accenting both syllables.

What are 6 types of syllables?

There are 6 syllable types and they are:

  • Closed syllable.
  • Open syllable.
  • Vowel-consonant-e syllable.
  • Diphthong (vowel team) syllable.
  • R-controlled syllable.
  • Consonant-le syllable.

What are word syllables?

A syllable is a single, unbroken sound of a spoken (or written) word. Syllables usually contain a vowel and accompanying consonants. Sometimes syllables are referred to as the ‘beats’ of spoken language. … The number of times you hear a vowel (a, e, i , o, u) in a word is equal to the number of syllables a word has.

15 related questions found

How do you explain syllables to a child?

Syllable Definition for Kids

A syllable is a single, unbroken vowel sound within a spoken word. They typically contain a vowel or two if one is silent, and perhaps one or more accompanying consonants. So syllables are always A, E, I, O, U or sometimes Y when it makes a vowel sound.

How many syllables are in beautiful?

This week’s word of the week is ‘beautiful’. It’s a three syllable word with stress on the first syllable. DA-da-da, beautiful.

What are two syllable words?

2-syllable words

  • index.
  • mascot.
  • tennis.
  • napkin.
  • publish.
  • goblin.
  • picnic.
  • cactus.

How many syllables are in hour?

The answer may well be that it’s one syllable in British English and two in American English and perhaps other dialects.

Why is learning syllables important?

Why teach about syllables? Dividing words into parts, or «chunks» helps speed the process of decoding. Knowing the rules for syllable division can students read words more accurately and fluently. Understanding syllables can also help students learn to spell words correctly.

Is Mayor 1 or 2 syllables?

The British have been pronouncing «mayor» with one syllable since at least 1780 (See Thomas Sheridan’s 1780 «General Dictionary of the English Language» in Google books). The general American pronunciation is two syllables.

Where are the syllables in a word?

A syllable is a part of a word that contains sounds (phonemes) of a word. It usually has a vowel in it. A syllable is also called a ‘beat’ and teachers often teach children to identify syllables by clapping the ‘beats’ in words. Another way to describe a syllable is a ‘mouthful’ of a word.

What age do you learn syllables?

By Grades 2 or 3, many children can break words into syllables and phonemes. In general, during early childhood, the following phonological skills are developed.

Is child 1 or 2 syllables?

For some speakers in British English, child is pronounced as a two-syllable word. For most speakers, both of the one- and two-syllable versions, the /d/ of child is not released when the word ends an utterance, and for some it is not audible at all.

How do you explain syllables in preschoolers?

Tips to explain syllables to children:

  1. All words have syllables. A word might have one, two, or even more syllables. Reading has two syllables: read (clap)—ing (clap). …
  2. Red has one syllable: red (clap).
  3. Purple has two syllables: pur (clap)—ple(clap).”
  4. Now you try. Clap your hands for each syllable in the word happy.

What is a 1 syllable word?

an uninterrupted segment of speech consisting of a vowel sound, a diphthong, or a syllabic consonant, with or without preceding or following consonant sounds: “Eye,” “sty,” “act,” and “should” are English words of one syllable. “Eyelet,” “stifle,” “enact,” and “shouldn’t” are two-syllable words.

What is the longest word with 1 syllable?

Scraunched and the archaic word strengthed, each 10 letters long, are the longest English words that are only one syllable long. Nine letter monosyllabic words are scratched, screeched, scrounged, squelched, straights, and strengths. «Stretched» is also nine letters and one syllable.

What are the 7 syllables?

There are 7 types of syllables that occur in all words of the English language. Every word can be broken down into these syllables. These 7 syllables include: closed, open, magic e, vowel teams, r-controlled, dipthongs and consonant le.

Which two syllables should teachers teach first?

Closed syllables are the first kind of syllables most students learn to read. CVC words, for example, are closed syllable. A closed syllable has a short vowel and ends (or is «closed in») with a consonant.

What is open syllable words?

An open syllable ends with a vowel sound that is spelled with a single vowel letter (a, e, i, o, or u). Examples include me, e/qual, pro/gram, mu/sic. • A closed syllable has a short vowel ending in a consonant. Examples include hat, dish, bas/ket.

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Ah, the humble syllable. Such a small part of language, yet syllables make up all the words we say across all languages. So, what are they all about? And how can we identify them?

This article is all about syllables and will give a definition for syllable definition, cover the types of syllables in English, and provide some syllable examples. We’ll also cover syllable division – in other words, how to divide a word into its constituent syllables.

Syllable: definition

Before we dive into the intricacies of syllables, let’s begin with our syllable definition. You might already have a good idea of what a syllable is but just in case:

A syllable is a unit of pronunciation that can join other syllables to form longer words or be a word in and of itself. Syllables must contain a singular vowel sound and may or may not have consonants before, after, or surrounding the vowel sound.

To illustrate this, here are some brief examples of what a syllable can look like:

  • The indefinite article «a» is a syllable (one vowel sound, with no consonants).
  • The word «oven» has two syllables because it has two vowel sounds – «ov» /-ʌv/ + «en» /-ən/ (each of these syllables includes a vowel sound and a consonant).
  • Many words consist of only one syllable, such as «run,» «fruit,» «bath,» and «large.» Each of these comprises a combination of one vowel sound and various consonants.

Syllables, playmobil figurines, StudySmarterFig 1. Whenever we speak, we use syllables.

Types of syllables in English

Since you’re an English Language student, we’ll be focusing on the types of syllables in English rather than looking at syllables on a more global level.

There are six key types of syllables in English:

  • Closed syllable: syllables that end in a consonant and have a short vowel sound (e.g., In «picture,» the first syllable, «pic» /pɪk/ ends in a consonant, and the /ɪ/ sound is short).

  • Open syllable: syllables that end in a vowel and have a long vowel sound (e.g., In «zero,» the last syllable «ro» /roʊ/ ends with the vowel sound /oʊ/, which is long).

  • Vowel-consonant-e syllable: syllables that end with a long vowel, a consonant, and a silent -e (e.g., «Fate» is a one-syllable word which ends with a long -a /eɪ/, a consonant (t), and a silent -e).

  • Diphthong (vowel team) syllable: syllables that include two consecutive vowels making a singular sound (e.g., in «shouting,» the first syllable «shout» (ʃaʊt) includes an -o and a -u together that makes one sound — the diphthong /aʊ/).

  • R-controlled syllable: syllables that end in at least one vowel followed by -r (e.g., In the name Peter, the end syllable «er» /ər/ consists of an -e followed by an -r.)

R-controlled syllables are specific to rhotic accents, that is, accents where the -r is pronounced wherever it appears. In Standard American English, the -r at the end of r-controlled syllables is a rhotic /r/, which means it is more pronounced than the non-rhotic /r/ of Standard British English.

In Standard British English, the -r at the end of most words and syllables ending in -r would make a schwa sound (ə) instead of a strong, rhotic /r/ sound. Therefore, non-rhotic British English (and other non-rhotic accents) does not include r-controlled syllables.

There are some British accents that are rhotic, however, such as the Cornish and Devon accents, and there are a couple of American accents which are non-rhotic, such as the Chicago or Upstate New York accents.

  • Consonant-le syllable: syllables that end with a consonant followed by -le (e.g., In «syllable,» the last syllable «ble» /bəl/ ends with the consonant -b followed by -le.)

Each of these syllable types follows the rule of having a singular vowel sound and either no consonants or a range of consonants before, after, or surrounding the vowel sound.

Syllable: examples

An example of a syllable is the word ‘hello’, which has two syllables: «hel» and «lo». To ensure each of these syllable types is cemented in our minds, let’s look at a few more syllable examples for each type:

Closed Syllables

  • cat (/kæt/)
  • napkin – nap(/næp/) + kin (/kɪn/)
  • spin (/spɪn/)
  • doughnut – dough + nut (/nʌt/)

In all of these examples, the underlined syllables end with a consonant and have a short vowel sound.

This is generally the first kind of syllable that children are taught to read; many early reading words follow the consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) pattern («cat,» «mat,» «pin,» «dip,» «dog,» etc.)

Open Syllables

  • go (/goʊ/)
  • sky (/skaɪ/)
  • we (/wi/)
  • mosquito – mos + qui + to (/toʊ/)

In all of these examples, the underlined syllables end in a vowel that has a long vowel sound.

Vowel-Consonant-e Syllables

  • plate (/pleɪt/)
  • tame (/teɪm/)
  • mite (/maɪt/)
  • bone (/boʊn/)

In all of these examples, the syllables underlined consist of a vowel, followed by a consonant, followed by a silent (or «magic») -e. The -e in each syllable elongates the sound of the vowels.

Diphthong Syllables

  • sky (skaɪ)
  • trail (/treɪl/)
  • spoiled — spoi (/spɔɪ/) + led

In all of these examples, the underlined syllables include two vowels together that make a singular vowel sound.

R-Controlled Syllables

  • fir (/fɜːr/)
  • burr (/bɜːr/
  • plumber – plumb + er (/ər/)
  • corridor – cor + ri + dor (/dər/)

In all of these examples, the underlined syllables are made up of a vowel followed by an — r. To reiterate, r-controlled syllables are specific to rhotic accents. Non-rhotic accents do not have r-controlled syllables.

Consonant-le Syllables

  • turtle — tur + tle (/təl/)
  • hurdle — hur + dle (/dəl/)
  • maple — ma + ple (/pəl/)

In all of these examples, the underlined syllables are formed by placing -le after a consonant.

Syllables, letter dice, StudySmarterFig 2. Every syllable must have one vowel sound and can have a variety of consonants

Syllable division

If you aren’t used to doing it, syllable division can sometimes be a bit tricky. What do we mean by ‘syllable division’?

Syllable division simply refers to the process of dividing a word into its constituent syllables.

There are several ways to divide words into syllables, and these ways depend on the composition of the word. There are seven rules you can learn to make syllable division easier.

Syllable rules

The seven syllable rules mentioned above are as follows:

  • A syllable can only have one vowel sound. Using this logic, you can divide words into syllables by looking at the vowel sounds.

Vowels and vowel sounds are two different things.

  • a vowel is one of the letters: a, e, i, o, u (and sometimes y)
  • a vowel sound is the sound made by the vowel or vowels in a word

The number of vowels in a word does not always equal the number of vowel sounds. For instance, words with a silent «-e,» such as «rate» have two vowels (a and e) but only one vowel sound (eɪ).

The word «plant» only has one vowel sound, so the word itself is only one syllable. The word «coriander,» however, has four vowel sounds and is therefore divided into four syllables – «co» + «ri» + «an» + «der,» where each syllable has a vowel sound.

  • Dividing between two of the same consonant. If a word has two of the same consonant (e.g., «mopping»), you can divide the word into syllables between them (e.g., «mopping» becomes «mop» + «ping»). For this rule to work, the double consonant must have a vowel on either side. In the «mopping» example, there is an «-o» on one side of the double -p and an «-i» on the other.

  • Divide according to the length of the vowel sound. Some vowel sounds are short, some are long, and some words include both. You can figure out where to divide a word into syllables depending on the kind of vowel sounds in that word.

If the first vowel sound in a word is long, then the divide should come after the first vowel. For instance, in the word «deepen,» the first vowel sound is the long -e, so the division into syllables would look like: «dee» + «pen.» In this case, the middle consonant becomes attached to the second vowel sound.

If the first vowel sound in a word is short, then the divide should come before the second vowel sound in the word. In the word «figure,» the first vowel sound is the short -i, so the division into syllables would look like: «fig» + «ure». In this case, the middle consonant attaches to the first vowel sound.

  • Divide between two vowels if they make different sounds. If a word has two vowels next to each other that produce two different sounds, then you should divide between these two vowels (e.g., «diet» becomes «di» + «et», and «diaspora» becomes «di» + «as» + «por» + «a»).

  • Affixes become separate syllables. If a word has been inflected to include a prefix, suffix, or both, then these affixes become their own syllables (e.g., «endless» becomes «end» + «less» and «reread» becomes «re» + «read»).

  • Compound words are always divided between the two words. If a word is made up of two or more other words, then there should be syllable divisions between them.

«Cupcake»: «cup» + «cake»

«Something»: «some» + «thing»

«Sunflower»: «sun» + «flow» + «er» (here, «flower» is split into two syllables because it includes two different vowel sounds — ˈfl + ər ).

  • Divide before consonant-le structures. If a word ends with a consonant followed by -le, then you should divide the word before the consonant preceding the -le (e.g., «needle» becomes «nee» + «dle» and «turtle» becomes «tur» + «tle»).

By following these seven rules, you should be able to identify where a word should be divided into syllables.

Syllables, t-rex skeleton, StudySmarterFig 3. «Tyrannosaurus Rex» has six syllables! Typically, the longer the word, the more syllables it has.

Names with two syllables

For a bit of fun, we’ll end this article by looking at some names with two syllables.

This table shows the two-syllable names and how they can be divided into their constituent syllables in IPA (international phonetic alphabet).

Name Syllables
Harvey -hɑr + -vi
Shannon -ʃæ + -nən
Michael -maɪ + -kəl
Gertrude -gɜr + -trud
Sarah -sɛ + -rə

Syllable — Key takeaways

  • A syllable is a unit of pronunciation that can either be its own word or can come together with other syllables to make longer words.
  • Each syllable can only have one vowel sound in it and may or may not have a variety of consonants around the vowel sound.
  • There are six key types of syllables in English: closed, open, vowel-consonant-e, diphthong, r-controlled, and consonant-le.
  • Syllable division refers to how words are broken down into their constituent syllables.
  • There are seven rules for syllable division.

Frequently Asked Questions about Syllable

A syllable is a unit of pronunciation that can either come together with other syllables to form longer words or be a word in and of itself. Syllables contain a singular vowel sound and may or may not have consonants before, after, or surrounding the vowel sound. 

An example of a syllable is the word «English». The syllables are «Eng» and «lish». 

There are six types of syllables in English, and knowing these types can help you to identify them in a word. They are: 

  • open
  • closed
  • vowel-consonant-e
  • diphthong
  • r-controlled
  • consonant-le

Once you understand what each of the syllable types consists of, you can identify these types in words. 

These are some examples of two-syllable words: 

  • English: Eng + lish
  • exact: ex + act
  • mother: mo + ther
  • classroom: class + room
  • begin: be + gin

There are seven rules of syllable division which are as follows: 

  • A syllable can only have one vowel sound. 
  • Dividing between two of the same consonant. 
  • Divide according to the length of the vowel sound. 
  • Divide between two vowels if they make different sounds. 
  • Affixes become separate syllables. 
  • Compound words are always divided between the two words. 
  • Divide before consonant-le structures. 

Every syllable needs to include one vowel sound. Syllables can either be a vowel on their own, or can have consonants attached to the vowel sound.

Final Syllable Quiz

Syllable Quiz — Teste dein Wissen

Question

Briefly describe what a syllable is. 

Show answer

Answer

A syllable is a unit of pronunciation that can either come together with other syllables to form longer words, or it can be a word in and of itself. Syllables contain a singular vowel sound and may or may not have consonants before, after, or surrounding the vowel sound. 

Show question

Question

True or false, a syllable can have more than one vowel sound in it.

Show answer

Question

True or false, syllables can sometimes include consonants, but don’t always. 

Show answer

Question

List the six kinds of syllable in English.

Show answer

Answer

  • closed
  • open
  • vowel-consonant-e
  • diphthong
  • r-controlled
  • consonant-le

Show question

Question

How many syllable division rules are there in English?

Show answer

Question

What is «syllable division»?

Show answer

Answer

When a word is divided into its constituent syllables. 

Show question

Question

Using this rule, divide the word «pineapple» into syllables: 

A syllable can only have one vowel sound. 

Show answer

Question

Using this rule, divide the word «rabbit» into syllables: 

Dividing between two of the same consonant. 

Show answer

Question

Using this rule, divide the word «feature» into syllables: 

Divide according to the length of the vowel sound. 

Show answer

Question

Using this rule, divide the word «dieting» into syllables: 

Divide between two vowels if they make different sounds.  

Show answer

Question

True or false, affixes become their own syllables. 

Show answer

Question

Where should you divide a compound word during syllable division?

Show answer

Answer

Compound words should always be divided between their constituent words, as well as following the other syllable division rules. 

Show question

Question

Which of these words has the most syllables?

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Question

Divide the word «plumber» into syllables. 

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Question

Briefly describe each of the six syllable types. 

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Answer

  • Closed syllable: syllables that end in a consonant and have a short vowel sound 

  • Open syllable: syllables that end in a vowel and have a long vowel sound 

  • Vowel-consonant-e syllable: syllables that end with a long vowel, a consonant, and a silent -e 

  • Diphthong (vowel team) syllable: syllables that include two consecutive vowels making a singular sound

  • R-controlled syllable: syllables that end in at least one vowel followed by -r 

  • Consonant-le syllable: syllables that end with a consonant followed by -le 

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Here are few One Syllable Words (Mono-Syllable Words). To understand word stress, we have to understand syllables. Words have one or more syllables. A syllable is a unit of pronunciation. It consists of either a vowel sound alone or a vowel and one or more consonant sounds. Notice that (with a few rare exceptions) every syllable contains at least one vowel (a, e, i, o or u) or vowel sound. Every word is made from syllables. Each word has one, two, three or more syllables.

There are ….

  1. A
  2. All
  3. And
  4. Are
  5. As
  6. Be
  7. By
  8. Day
  9. Did
  10. Each
  11. Few
  12. For
  13. Get
  14. Have
  15. He
  16. Him
  17. His
  18. I
  19. In
  20. Is
  21. It
  22. Long
  23. Man
  24. Me
  25. More
  26. Much
  27. My
  28. New
  29. Not
  30. Now
  31. Of
  32. Off
  33. Old
  34. On
  35. One
  36. Or
  37. Out
  38. Same
  39. She
  40. So
  41. State
  42. Than
  43. That
  44. The
  45. They
  46. Time
  47. To
  48. Up
  49. War
  50. Was

Syllables |
One Syllable Words to HOME PAGE

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